GROUPS URGED TO HOLD MORE BLOOD DRIVES

To prevent a recurrence of last week's blood shortage, the South Florida Blood Service has challenged hospitals and organizations in south Broward to increase the number of blood drives they hold.

"South Florida isn't self-sufficient," said Dr. Bruce Lenes of the South Florida Blood Service. The service provides blood to 59 health-care facilities in Dade, Broward and Monroe counties.

Lenes said South Florida often must import blood from other states. But Lenes said when he called several out-of-state blood centers during last week's blood shortage, he found that 60 percent of them were also low on blood.

That's when the service appealed to hospitals and organizations for more blood drives, he said.

In response to the challenge, officials at Pembroke Pines General Hospital said they would increase the number of blood drives from two to four this year.

Two other hospitals in south Broward that get blood from the service, Humana South Broward Hospital and Hollywood Medical Center, will increase the number of blood drives from one to two, hospital officials said. Humana Hospital Bennett in Plantation will also increase its blood drives.

Ed Maas, executive director of Pembroke Pines General, said the goal for the four hospitals is 1,000 units of blood for 1986.

"We're leading the effort because we think health-care professionals are even more sensitive to the need for blood that will save lives," Maas said.

Maas said he has sent a letter challenging other hospitals and companies to follow suit.

"Giving blood is absolutely the biggest gesture of generosity and assistance," he said. "And we need the blood."

Lenes said more blood drives will not only help prevent crisis situations, but build a reserve for the region. Even though an additional 775 units of Type O blood were collected during last week's appeal, response was lower than anticipated, Lenes said.

"I think it was hampered by the weather and the fact that everybody was geared up for the Dolphin game," Lenes said.

But Lenes said blood supplies in hospitals throughout the area are currently at 75 percent of normal levels.

"That is sufficient, but doesn't prevent a crisis situation," he said.

Lenes attributed part of the blood crisis to the usual slowdown of blood donations during the holidays. Usually, however, it is accompanied by a slowdown in demand because of canceled elective surgery, he said.

"The difference is we went into the holiday season with a low supply," Lenes said.

He attributed the pre-holiday shortage to fear about AIDS, acquired immune deficiency syndrome.

"People make an unfounded, irrational association between blood and disease," he said. "We must stress that donating blood is safe. There is no way of getting any infectious disease by doing so.

"Even though the critical shortage is over, there is a long-term need that we can't forget and that is the need to have a large number of routine blood doners committed to the blood program in South Florida."